Remember when getting a free travel upgrade was as easy as walking up to the counter with your biggest smile?

Now that airlines have pared back flights, and rental car agencies have slimmed fleets, it's a lot harder to get a better seat or nicer wheels for no extra cash. (On the plus side, you've still got a good shot at a sweet hotel suite.)

Money asked frequent travelers and people with upgrade-granting power for the secret to moving up in style without moving up in price.

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/110919/how-to-score-an-upgrade-air-car-hotel?mod=family-love_money